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New Braunfels Herald Zeitung (Newspaper) - June 17, 1994, New Braunfels, Texas
FRIDAYLocal boxer Randy Galindo steps back into the ring, page
CENTS
OOUNTDOWNi
279
DAYS
New Braunfels Sesquicentennial March 21,1846 March 21,1995
New Braunfels
Herald
18 pages in two lections ■ Friday, June 17,1994
Serving Comal County for more than 142 years I Home of CASSANDRA ENGLAND
Vol 142, No 157
Inside
Opinion.....................................,„.4A
Archives Anonymous 5A
Sports.....................................6A 7A
Churoh Ute............................1B. 2B
Marketplace.........................3B-8B
River conditions
Guadalupe River..............549 cfs
Comal River.......................340 cfs
* cfs • cubic feet per second
St.imnUisch
Birthday wishes from tho Horald-Zottung!
The New Braunfels Herald-'/titling extends the following birthday wishes to; Johnnie Cooper, Charlene Seyferth, Heather Nicole Maynard, Lisa Golding, Brandon James Grabill (happy 14th), Tyra Lynne and Tarra Rochelle Schroeder (happy 1st), Oscar Barboza Jr. happy 14th).
German for beginners etarf s today
The German American Society and the NBISD are offering a German class for beginners. The class runs from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. June 16 to July 21 at the Education Center, 430 W. Mill St. Fee is S20. Call Helgard Suhr at 625-6330 for information.
Mexican-American Class of 1974
The New Braunfels Mexican-American graduating class of 1974 is planning a 20-year reunion.
The reunion will be held Labor Day weekend. For information, call Johnnie Rodriguez at 625-4920 or 629-2646
Woman’s Cantor to conduct training
The Comal County Women's Center will conduct training for Hotline Volunteers on Monday, June 20, at 6 p.m.
The Women’s Center staffs a 24-hour crisis hotline for women who have been battered, abused or sexually assaulted.
This hotline is forwarded to your home. Anyone interested in being a volunteer can contact the volunteer coordinator at 620-7520.
Fathers' Day dance set
A Fathers' Day dance will be held Saturday, June 18 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Holy Fam ily Church Hall, featuring Ruben Ramos
Tickets are SIO. Call 609-5320 or 620-7678 for information
Woodmen of the World summer camp
. Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society will have its summer camp July 18 through July 22 for all Woodmen Youth members ages eight to 15. Registration is SIO and includes a T-shirt and cap Call 609-1255
idtap.
elfish to bo hold at HEB
The St. Paul Lutheran High School seniors will hold a car wash at the HEB parking lot from IO a m. to 5 p m Saturday, June 18
Suunmtisch
(TA# New Brasils Herald /eiiung indues Us nadirs to submit aims to Stammtisch According lo lh* Sophienbur/ Arc bins and members of lbs German community,
"Stammtisch" represents a sating place for members of the community lo gather and share the days happenings We invite you la share with us )
This newspaper Is printed on recycled newsprint
City wants plant expansions here
City attorney to draft resolutions offering tax abatements to Casco and Texas Jacobson
By JENNIFER ROMPEL
Staff Writer
Members of the New Braunfels City Council met with representatives of the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce Monday night and agreed to have the city attorney draft resolutions proposing tax abatements be given to two local businesses that arc planning expansions, Casco New Braunfels on FM 306 and Texas Jacobson on Interstate Highway 35 both are exploring the possibility of expansions at their New Braunfels facilities.
George Atchison, plant manager for Casco, explained to the council that the company would need a decision concerning the tax abatement quickly.
“We arc looking at which of our three facilities we need to expand. Two of the prime candidates arc our New Braunfels plant and our Wichita (Kansas) plant,” he said.
Glenn Rues, the financial officer for Texas Jacobson, said the plastics plant is looking at cither doing something in El Paso or expanding the plant in New Braunfels.
“We also need to do something very quickly. We have a 12-month time frame. We arc looking at getting started in a couple of months,” said Rues.
The resolutions for the abatements will be brought to the city council June 27,
After discussions were held between ♦he council and the companies' representatives the council and chamber officials reviewed some of the city’s industrial development incentives.
Chamber Executive Vie* President Michael Meek said companies arc getting a lot of help in other communities and New Braunfels may need to look at its abatement program in order to stay competitive.
“We arc finding ourselves more and more to be
less competitive. Seguin did as many abatement deals last year as we’ve done since 1986. The quality of life is not always going to be the tie breaker,” said Meek.
”A company coming in is looking at heavy costs for relocation," said Meek. ’’The first couple of years is critical,”
“We need to look long-term at what other things we can do to make the program more competitive,” he said.
The Economic Development Coordinating Committee from the chamber is expected to explore the possibility of increasing incentives. They will bring their proposals to the city council.
Corps of Engineers now charging for use of boat ramps at Canyon Lake
By CRAIG HAMMETT
Staff Writer
Outfitters ask for insurance break
By JENNIFER ROMPEL
Staff Writer
New Braunfels city staff, local outfitters, and city council members met Thursday morning to discuss insurance requirements for shuttle drivers
Local outfitters came to Monday’s regular city council meeting to express their views concerning the ordinance requiring shuttle owners to be insured up to $300,000 for liability. At that time they decided to meet in a workshop this week to discuss the matter further.
Many outfitters in the area operate shuttle services to bring customers who have traveled down the river back to their starting point. Some outfitters use trucks, and some use buses and vans to
carry people and equipment According to City Manager Mike Shands the council developed the ordinance requiring shuttle owners to be permitted in 1987. Revisions were made in 1989 At that time the city was pushing for SI million in liability and a compromise was made to lower the requirements Shands said the reason for the insurance is to protect the city and the public. He said if several people were hun while traveling in a shuttle on city streets they could attempt to receive compensation from the city if enough money was not available through the shuttle owner’s insurance carrier Shands explained that many shuttle owners in the arca already have the required insurance However
’The bottom lino is we can’t afford it, and we don’t want to put kids out of work.’
shuttle owners at the meeting said they will have difficulty paying the costs. They also said the insurance companies require them to hire drivers over the age of 21 and they will be forced to fire several drivers if the ordinance is not changed “The bottom line is we can’t afford it, and we don’t want to put kids out of work,” said one outfitter “We’ve got to depend on college students for employees. We need to help keep the kids in college working," said another outfitter.
The outfitters received
notice approximately IO days ago that they were not meeting their insurance requirements. Some of the outfitters were not aware they were required to have more insurance
City council memocr ”nd city staff agreed to consider changing the part of the ordinance which requires $300,000 liability insurance on trailers and vehicles hauling only equipment They are also considering appointing a Transportation Advisory Board
City staff agreed not to cite or shut down any outfitting businesses not meeting the requirement until there is more time to reach a decision City staff and outfitters arc expected to meet again on June 30 to see if any other proposals can be made
People using boat ramps or launch sites along the shores of Canyon Lake arc finding they have to pay this summer, if they use the Corps of Engineers areas.
While county launch sites, located mainly in suburbs, arc still free, the Corps now charges at some launch ramps and swimming beaches.
Jerry Brite of the Corps of Engineers said the 1993 Deficit Reduction Act initiated further charges on federally-run public-use areas.
“We do not indicate the fees coming back directly to Canyon Lake, “ he said “Boat ramps and swimming fees are to offset the federal deficit.”
Collection began June I at Canyon Park, Comal Park, Cranes Mill Park and Potters Creek Park. Beginning in the spring of next year, fees will be charged at Potters Creek Park swimming beach, North Park camping area and Jacobs Creek Park boat ramp and camping area.
Fees are SI per person (up to S3 per vehicle) at some developed swimming beaches Children under 12 are free. A fee of S2 will be charged for the use of some boat launching ramps.
Those with Golden Age or Access passes can purchase annual passes for SI2.50 or use facilities for half-price.
“We estimate we will be able to offset the cost of collection and maintenance of ramps and camps in three years," said Brite.
Charges on use of Corps ramps would most likely result in increased use of the eight county launch sites, located mainly in subdivisions. County Engineer Tom Homseth said the county currently had one of the sites, all of which are maintained by county funds, under testing to determine the amount of usage Homseth said the county estimates 45 uses per day in the one site, w hich he said was a pretty heavy load Brite told county commissioners in his opinion the county had authority to monitor recreational use on the lake, especially around the county ramps He said Corps officers had a “higher and more frequent obligation to go to those ramps” where tile Corps had initiated use Brite was asked by the axin about the possibilities of putting buoys on the lake in response to personal w ater craft usage, for example. He said he saw no reason w hy the county could not and estimated the cost at around $ 125 per buoy, with about four at each of the eight sites
It’s
Showtime!
The Red Stocking Revue, the major fundraiser for the Community Service Center, will take over the New Braunfels Civic Center for three shows this weekend. Above, Carol Crlat Blaaett and Cathy Crlat Ta I coft perform a musical song about sisters at the last dress rehearsal Thursday. At right, Barron Schlameus and Rosslyn Llsk do a take-off on Ricky and Lucy.
Peformances are tonight at 8 p.m., tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at China n' Things, Felger and Friends and at the door.
H«r*ld-Z«itung photos By JOHN HUSETH
Riding
the
chute
The hot weather Is
here, and more and more people are taking advantage of the Tube Chute at Prince Solms Park. The chute is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day and the park has picnic areas and barbecue pits, showers and restrooms. Admission for ages five and up Is $3.25, with tube rentals $2 plus a $5 deposit. Life Jackets are also available. Call 608-2160 for more Information.lf you see or hear news happening, call the Herald-Zeitung at 625-9144• ,
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